Gender In Development Terms Flashcards
Women’s triple role in society
Reproductive
Productive (any role bringing in cash)
Community Manager (any participating role in community)
Gender awareness
Gender awareness refers to recognizing and understanding the differences in roles, needs, and experiences between people of different genders.
Gender Analysis
systematic gathering and examination of information on gender differences and social relations in order to identify, understand and readdress inequalities based on gender
Gender Mainstreaming
integrating a gender perspective to all aspects of an institutions policy and activities
WID
Focus: Integrate women into development projects.
Problem: Women were being left out of development.
Approach: Add women to existing development plans.
Goal: Increase women’s participation in economic activities.
WAD
Focus: Women’s role in the development process.
Problem: Development itself is unequal and affects women differently.
Approach: Address structural inequalities and emphasize women’s contributions.
Goal: Empower women through collective action and by critiquing development models.
GAD
Focus: Power relations between all genders.
Problem: Gender inequality stems from social, economic, and political structures.
Approach: Analyze and transform gender roles and relations.
Goal: Achieve equality by addressing root causes of gender inequality, not just women’s issues.
Victim-Saviour narrative
people or countries from the Global South (often shown as “victims”) are depicted as helpless and dependent on people or countries from the Global North (the “saviours”) for rescue or aid
Rescue narratives
when people believe that women in poorer countries need to be helped or rescued by outsiders, rather than recognizing that they have their own strengths and solutions.
Positionality
recognizing where you stand bias wise and how you unintentionally practice stereotypes (self-awareness)
White man’s burden
a duty formerly asserted by white people to manage the affairs of nonwhite people whom they believed to be less developed.
Individualization of blame
taking the blame and power out of the hands of social institutions and putting in into individual (“you are poor because you don’t work hard enough” “youre homeless because you’re a drug addict”)
Typification
general categories that help us understand patterns, while stereotypes are unfair and rigid ideas that can misrepresent people.
Homogenization
means treating different things or people as if they are all the same, ignoring their unique qualities or differences. It’s like lumping everyone together without recognizing their individuality.
Commodification
an idea, a person, or a relationship, is turned into a product that can be bought, sold, or traded, often losing its original meaning or value
Fetishization
someone or something is treated like an object or admired only for specific traits, often in a way that ignores their true complexity or value.
Racialization
when people are labeled or treated differently because of their race. It can lead to unfair treatment or stereotypes based on how someone looks or where they’re from.
Fiscal Austerity
Drastic cuts to public spending, particularly on social services like healthcare, education, and welfare.
Privatization
Governments were pressured to privatize state-owned enterprises, often selling them to foreign investors at low prices.
Trade Liberalization
Countries were forced to remove trade barriers, opening up their markets to foreign competition.
economic stagnation
an economy is not growing or improving
Macroeconomics
focuses on things that affect a whole country or even the world, like inflation, unemployment, and how much money a government spends or earns
Microeconomics
looks at how individuals, households, and businesses make decisions, like buying or selling things, how prices are set, or how companies decide to hire workers
Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs)
documents that countries create to show how they plan to reduce poverty and improve the lives of their people and also help countries get loans or support from the World Bank or IMF, which they use to fund these programs.
Feminization of Poverty
Women have become primary bearers of family responsibilities due to economic adjustments, often at the expense of their own economic empowerment and well-being.
Time Poverty Concept
Examines how rural women in third world experience higher levels of time poverty compared to men, with a focus on unpaid labor and caregiving responsibilities.
Gendered Labor Distribution
Women’s work is primarily centered around subsistence agriculture, domestic duties, and caregiving, while men often engage in income-generating activities, resulting in a gendered division of labor. (woman’s 3 roles)
Factors Contributing to Time Poverty
Limited access to infrastructure (e.g., water, electricity) exacerbates women’s time poverty, as they spend long hours on basic tasks like collecting water and firewood.
Policy Recommendations for time Poverty
improving infrastructure, access to education, and promoting equitable labor division to reduce time poverty and its adverse effects on women.
Masculinity
Masculinities are those behaviours, languages and practices, existing in specific cultural and organisational locations, which are commonly associated with men, thus culturally defined as not feminine
Gender Socialization
Process by which individuals are taught how to behave according to social expectations of their ‘gender’
Types of Masculinities
Hegemonic
Complicit
Subordinate
Marginal
Protest
Caring
Crisis of masculinity
Failed masculinity
* Declining prospects
* Increased fear & insecurity
* Contradictory demands
* Little support mechanisms
* Continued hold of patriarchal ideology
* Violence as a mechanism to regain control
Neoliberal reforms as trigger
Loss in ability to ‘provide’
Job loss
Feminization / Effeminization of jobs
Marginalization & masculine detachment
Impact on gender relations
Backlash
Insecurity re loss of ‘traditional’ control
Coping mechanisms - negative fallout (violence)
Critique of Gender and Development (GAD)
GAD tends to focus primarily on women, often sidelining men’s roles and contributions.
Men are frequently portrayed as obstacles or oppressors, with little exploration of their complex gendered identities.
Masculinity as a Construct
Masculinities are not fixed; they are shaped by social, cultural, and economic conditions.
Different societies have various expressions of masculinity, which must be acknowledged in development discussions.
Challenges of Engaging Men
Including men in gender conversations could be seen as detracting from women’s struggles.
Fear that addressing men’s issues could dilute the focus on empowering women.
Impact of Economic Changes
Unemployment and economic instability contribute to shifting perceptions of masculinity, with men feeling their traditional provider roles are threatened.
the Informal Sector
includes economic activities that are not regulated by the state, such as street vending, home-based work, and unregistered enterprises.
It constitutes a significant portion of the global workforce, particularly in developing countries.
The informal economy often lacks legal protections, resulting in poor working conditions and job insecurity.
Women in the Informal Sector
Many women work in low-paid, low-skilled, and precarious jobs within the informal economy, such as domestic work and small-scale trading.
The sector offers some flexibility, allowing women to balance work with household responsibilities, but also reinforces gendered labor divisions.
The Global Movement for Informal Workers’ Rights
Efforts include pushing for legal recognition, access to social security, and improved working conditions.
Policy Recommendations for Woman in informal sector
integrate informal workers into economic planning.
extend legal protections and benefits to informal workers.
Policies must address the specific needs and challenges faced by women in the informal economy.
Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs
limited access to credit, training, and markets.
Informal sector work often involves long hours and poor working conditions without social security.
The intersection of gender and class further complicates access to entrepreneurial opportunities in India.
Export Processing Zones (EPZs)
Designated areas in Global South (GS) countries where goods are manufactured primarily for export. Purpose: Created to attract foreign investment by offering tax breaks, cheap labor, and minimal regulations. Mostly employs migrant women
Concerns:
1. High turnover and insecure work conditions due to flexible or casual contracts.
2. Low wages, with limited employment security and minimal legal protections.
Global Commodity Chain
The interconnected path that products travel from raw material to consumer, crossing multiple countries and involving different levels of production.
Feminization of Labor
“Ideal Worker” is seen as female—thought to be more docile and skilled with “nimble fingers,” stereotypes used to justify hiring women for tedious, low-wage work.
Gender and Patriarchy in the Workplace
Work environments reproduce societal norms, reinforcing patriarchal control.
This helps in controlling labor, enhancing productivity, and meeting quality standards by exploiting gendered expectations.
Home worker
Not tied to global chain
Stay at home mom
Self employed
Labour laws don’t apply
Home Worker
Industrial outworker
Doing tiny cheap jobs
Bottom of worker chain
Tied to global commodity chain
export-oriented industrialization
An economic strategy focused on producing goods for export, often resulting in low wages and poor working conditions for industrial workers in developing countries.
What is meant by gendered health impacts
Health issues that disproportionately affect women due to systemic gender inequalities, such as unsafe working environments and lack of healthcare access.
informal private providers
Unregulated healthcare providers operating outside formal systems, often filling gaps in access but posing risks due to unsafe practices.
Health Sector Challenges
Privatized Systems
Resource Drain
Re-emerging Diseases
Disparities in Insurance
Gendered Health Vulnerabilities
Intersectional oppressions link women’s health vulnerability to political and economic inequalities.
Factors include patriarchal norms, user fees, and employment conditions in sectors like EPZs (Export Processing Zones).
Role of NGOs in Healthcare
Emergence:
-NGOs provide fragmented, donor-dependent services.
Implications:
-Lack of accountability and sustainability.
-Narrow focus (urban, wealthier clientele).
-Gaps in training and comprehensive service delivery.
Moral Hazard in Healthcare
Neoliberal health policies shift responsibility to individuals.
Market vs. Social Views
Market Perspective: Health is key for economic growth.
Social Perspective: Health as an fundemental right requiring equity and solidarity.
Key Issues for the Global South
services fees like healthcare are too expensive for the poor population so they dont have access
High out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., 70% in Pakistan).
Aid from NGO’s are uneven, making some areas worse off
What are the reasons for gendered migration?
Push factors in the country of origin.
Pull factors in the receiving country.
Role of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs).
What jobs do women migrate for?
How do racial and gender stereotypes play a role?
What is the role of the state?
Impact of policies in both countries of origin and destination.
Role of International Financial Institutions (IFIs).
What are the social costs of feminized migration?
Impact on migrant women, families, and children.
What are the citizenship rights of migrant female workers?
Policies, challenges, and state responses.
How can the rights of migrant workers be protected?
Role of international conventions and labor laws.
Feminization of Migration
Increasing proportion of women in migration flows, especially for care work.
Push Factors (Country of Origin)
Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs):
- Movement from rural to urban areas.
- High unemployment and underemployment.
- Rising cost of living and commodification of basic services.
Role of the State:
- Dependency on foreign exchange from remittances.
- Servicing debts to IFIs.
Pull Factors (Receiving Countries)
Global Care Chain:
- Poor countries provide caregivers for wealthier nations (extraction of care).
Care Industry Growth:
- Increase in working women.
- Men’s limited involvement in domestic work.
- Crisis in public childcare systems.
Racist and Gender Stereotypes:
- Domestic work is devalued.
- Migrant women seen as more compliant.
Key Outcomes and Challenges for Feminization of Migration
Social Costs:
- Extended family bears the burden of caregiving.
- Daughters often take on familial responsibilities.
- Emotional costs: feelings of abandonment, rise in child delinquency, and suicides.
Impacts on Migrant Women:
- Changes in relationships with spouses and children.
- Patriarchy often reconstituted, not dismantled.
Impacts on Employers’ Families:
- Children receive displaced love and affection.
- Domestic workers enable marriages and reinforce patriarchal family structures.
International Conventions
1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (MWC): Ratified by 56 countries.
2011 Convention C189 (Domestic Workers Convention): Grants equal labor rights to domestic workers.
Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) Drawbacks
Limited rights for caregivers.
Significant barriers to permanent residency.
Role of Traditional and Alternative Unions
Limited engagement with traditional trade unions.
Emergence of migrant-focused organizations.
What can be done to better protect migrant women?
Strengthen international labor laws.
Address systemic racism and gender inequality in migration.
How can the state’s role evolve?
Recognize migrant workers’ contributions.
Ensure rights and protections across all sectors.
displaced mothering
the experiences of mothers who are displaced from their homes and communities, often due to conflict
displaced affection
a person redirects negative feelings from their original source to another person or object
displaced caretaking
the invisible work that is involved in caregiving for people who have been forced to flee their homes or places of residence
